Sweat and Soccer Balls
by TheNocturne
Summary: A unlikely opponent decides to challenge Wally, the soccer champion. One-shot, vague Kuki/Wally


**I'M AT THE HALFWAY MARK IN NANO!**

**To celebrate, I wrote you all a one-shot. Simple, sweet, I love it. And I'm hoping you do, too.**

**It's been busy, believe me. But I'm still here, I promise.**

**I hope you all are have a wonderful week!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine!**

**Love, Sadie**

--

It was the hottest day of summer, and everyone could feel it.

Everyone was down in the schoolyard, surrounded by a wall of trees. When school was in session, they despised the place, but during the summer, when there was no sign of teachers afoot, the wide area seemed much more inviting to those who had a taste for gameplay.

The best thing about the grassy place was that it was big enough for different games, so it didn't matter what game a single person enjoyed; you could find any game to fit your tastes. In the northwest corner, a game of dodgeball had started, while east of them, a baseball diamond was being laid out so that they could begin a game. Another area had started a large game of tag, with dozens of teenagers sprinting across the grass to avoid each other.

It was truly the best way to spend their summer.

In the southwest corner, they had begun a soccer tournament. The sun blazed high in the sky, pouring out heat onto them while they ran about. Sweat trickled off of every face, warm from the fiery heat. On the middle of their makeshift field stood a boy, his posture arrogant as he spoke proudly to the one he had just defeated.

"You have good feet, good match." His voice indicated otherwise; he might as well have said, "You weren't fast enough, you'll never beat me." But the attempt to consol the loser was valiant, with its little hints of sincerity.

Wallabee Beatles had become a legend on the soccerfield. After spending his time on the grass, night after night, endlessly practicing drills and footwork, he was like a blur on the field, and had become unbeatable to those who dared to challenge his skills.

Rolling the ball down the curve of his leg, he kicked the ball into the air and then slammed it into the ground, his foot resting loftily on top of the ball while he called out his challenge to those on the sidelines.

"Anyone else wanna get a beatin'?"

The shout rang forth through the field, and Wally grinned cockily when no one made an initial response. Suddenly, a gentle voice came shouting through the crowd. "I will!"

Wally's head whipped up to see who would dare challenge him next, after witnessing that horrific defeat. To his surprise, a distinctly Oriental girl came jogging out onto the field, her long raven tresses pulled back into a swinging ponytail that bounced when she stepped. She looked ready to play, in her soccer shorts and loose t-shirt, but Wally still scoffed at her appearance.

"You? Kuki, what do ya even know about soccer?"

She grinned, putting a hand on her hip. "I know plenty, silly! Are you scared to play me, or what?"

"'Course not!" How could she stand there, looking so confident, when she knew she was facing the greatest player on the field? In all of their days of friendship, Wally had never once seen her kicking around a soccer ball. "Are you ready to play?"

She only smiled, lowering herself into a stance that seemed to suggest that she did indeed know what she was doing.

No matter.

"First to three?"

"Are you going to keep talking?" Her smile was irritating.

Fine, then. With a smirk, Wally kicked the ball to his left, and took off down the field toward her goal. He expected to leave her far behind, but was surprised to find that she was able to keep up with him, her feet flying as she veered to the side to snag the ball from under his feet.

He wasn't going to let her get away with that. Before she could do anything, he shot the ball straight into her goal where the net caught it.

She slowed to a stop, moving to retrieve the ball. She didn't seem upset by the goal at all, only smiling as she carried to the ball to the center again.

"That's one," Wally smirked.

Kuki did nothing, only dropped the ball in the center. And then she took off, down the field, trying to outrun him as she sprinted toward his goal. Wally was able to keep up with her with ease, and managed to kick the ball away before turning around and leading the ball back down toward his goal. On the sidelines, the boys let out a yell of triumph.

Kuki had whirled around and was trying to get the ball back, but she was too late as it once again sailed into her goal. Wally laughed as she ran to retrieve it, still smiling as she brought it out.

"That's two."

The boll dropped onto the grass. Kuki smiled and took off again, running down the field with the soccer ball between her feet. Wally sprinted after, laughing inwardly. All he would have to do is steal the ball from under her and make his third, easy goal.

But as he came closer, trying to find an open spot to kick the ball, he was started as she dribbled it away from him. Where had she learned that crazy footwork?! Startled, Wally faltered, and it gave her enough time to move forward, kicking the ball straight into the center of his goal.

Her ponytail bounced as she retrieved it, smiling at him as she came forward with the ball between her dirt-covered fingers.

"That's one."

"That's your last."

He was ready, now that she had shown him that she was capable. He wasn't going to let her surprise him again. No way.

She handed him the ball, which he dropped to the grass. Without hesitating, he took off, down the field, with Kuki hot on his heels. He readied himself to kick it into the goal, triumphant now that he was about to make his final goal.

And then suddenly he was kicking nothing, and he whirled around in surprise. Kuki had run off down the field, the ball on her toes, having somehow managed to sneak it out from under him. He tried to turn around and catch up to her, but she was already on the other side of the field, kicking the ball easily into the goal and fetching it out.

When he met her in the middle of the field, they were both dripping with sweat, and gasping for breath. Kuki smiled innocently at him while she crouched over to conserve energy.

"That's two."

Feeling weary, Wally waited for her to kick it, and then stole it away, running down the field. She was on him in an instant, wrestling the ball out from under him and running the other way.

But he wasn't going to let her get away with that. He ran after her, ramming her body with his while stealing the ball away. He felt triumphant as her goal came within sight, but there she was again, relentless, taking the ball away from him and flipping around.

Gasping, breathless, he ran after her, and tried to beat it out from under her feet. But she was too fast, much too fast, and with a kick that made her topple over, the ball went sailing into his goal.

Bent over, hands on her knees, Kuki straightened and offered him a brilliant smile that showed all of her teeth. "Thanks for the game, Wally! I'll see you around!" Waving, she bounded away, through the crowd of awestruck observers that had just seen Wally, their undefeated champion, beaten.

"Dude!" In a few seconds, Hoagie was beside him, staring after Kuki with a wide-eyed expression. "Why aren't you dating her?!"

"I-I dunno," Wally panted, something almost admiring in his gaze as he watched the Oriental girl disappear.

One of Wally's other friends, Jason, was at his other shoulder in an instant, laughing. "She beat you down, mate! I can't believe you're not totally pissed off, getting shown up by a girl!"

Wally simply stood, smiled at the boy, and walked way, toward the game of dodgeball across the schoolyard.

"Don't you get it?"

Hoagie's voice made the Jason turn, and the boy flashed Hoagie a curious look, shaking his head as he watched Wally depart. Hoagie just laughed his full-bodied laugh, adjusting the set of goggles on his forehead.

"Kuki's the only one that he really doesn't mind losing to."


End file.
